Creamy Chicken Carbonara Pasta (Print View)

Tender shredded chicken meets crispy bacon in this creamy Italian pasta dish with Parmesan-egg sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti or fettuccine

→ Proteins

02 - 7 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded
03 - 5 oz bacon or pancetta, diced

→ Sauce

04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Aromatics

08 - 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

→ Garnish

09 - Extra grated Parmesan for serving
10 - Fresh parsley, chopped, optional

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon or pancetta and cook until crispy, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in shredded chicken to warm through, then remove from heat.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, grated Parmesan, cream if using, and a generous amount of black pepper until well combined.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the bacon, garlic, and chicken. Toss thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Pour the egg-Parmesan mixture over the pasta, tossing quickly and continuously off the heat to create a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is achieved.
06 - Transfer to serving plates immediately and top with additional Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms leftovers into something that feels like you spent hours in the kitchen when you really didn't.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta without a single lump if you keep the heat off and your hands moving.
  • It's rich enough to satisfy a serious comfort food craving but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • You get crispy bacon, tender chicken, and silky Parmesan all in one bowl without juggling complicated techniques.
02 -
  • The skillet must be off the heat before you add the egg mixture or you'll end up with scrambled eggs tangled in your pasta instead of a creamy sauce.
  • Pasta water isn't optional, it's the secret that brings everything together because the starch helps the sauce cling and the salt seasons from the inside out.
  • If your sauce looks too thick, add more pasta water one tablespoon at a time while tossing, and if it looks too thin, just keep tossing and the residual heat will thicken it as it cools slightly.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan right before you whisk it into the eggs because freshly grated cheese melts into the sauce while pre-shredded stuff clumps and refuses to cooperate.
  • Let your eggs sit on the counter for twenty minutes before you start cooking so they come to room temperature and blend into the pasta more smoothly without seizing up.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet for a full minute after adding the egg mixture, even if it looks done, because that constant motion is what keeps everything creamy instead of curdled.
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